Substituted 2-(2-pyridinylmethylsulfinyl)-1H-benzimidazoles such as for example omeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole and rabeprazole including their stereoisomers are inhibitors of gastric acid secretion. Omeprazole, chemically 5-methoxy-2-[[(4-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl-2-pyridinyl)methyl]sulfinyl]-1H-benzimidazole is for instant disclosed in EP 5129. Some compounds useful as prodrugs of proton pump inhibitors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,559,167.
The alkaline salts of (S)-enantiomer of omeprazole (esomeprazole), the pharmaceutical preparations of these salts and the method of treatment of gastric acid-related diseases using them are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,738,974, 5,877,192 and 5,714,504. The patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,738,974, 5,877,192 and 5,714,504 are incorporated herein by reference.
These compounds and structurally related compounds have a stereogenic center at sulfur and therefore exist as two optical isomers. The resolution processes of racemates of these compounds were for example disclosed in DE 4035455 and WO 94/27988. According to these processes chiral ether such as fenchyloxymethyl or chiral acyloxy methyl group such as mandeloyl- is introduced into the 1-position of benzimidazole ring of racemic sulfoxide compound to obtain a diastereomeric mixture, diastereomers are then separated and desired isomer is liberated from a separated diastereomer. The process requires either the preparation of fenchyloxymethyl chloride and then reaction with the racemic compound; or introduction of chloromethyl group on 1-position of benzimidazole ring, followed by reaction with the chiral auxiliary. We find that these intermediates are difficult to prepare and involve in many steps.
The resolution of sulfoxide compounds including racemic omeprazole were described in WO 2004/002982. The method requires expensive reagents like titanium compounds, two chiral reagents namely diethyl-D-tartarate and L-Mandelic acid.
Enantioselective synthesis is described for example in Euro. J. Biochem. 166 (1987) 453 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,789. Disadvantages of these methods are that strict control of conditions is to be maintained and strict control of quantities of oxidizing agents is required for avoiding oxidation of desired sulfoxide to sulfone impurity. Moreover, these methods require expensive reagents like titanium isoproxide and diethyl-D-tartarate.
The process for the preparation of racemic benzimidazole sulfoxides such as omeprazole, useful as starting materials for preparing enantiomerically pure benzimidazole sulfoxides, from their corresponding sulfides involves a problem of over oxidation to form sulfone impurities.
PCT Application No. PCT/IN04/00118 describes the resolution method for racemic benzimidazole sulfoxides.
We have discovered a novel process for preparing benzimidazole sulfoxides either as a single enantiomer or in an enantiomerically enriched form using less expensive reagents. The novel method provides a commercially viable stereoselective synthesis of benzimidazole sulfoxides. The novel process provides an excess amount of the desired enantiomer of benzimidazole sulfoxides over the undesired enantiomer. This results in the improved overall yield of optically pure or optically enriched benzimidazole sulfoxides.
Some of the intermediates of the process are novel and also the part of the invention.